Water woes: County lacks funds to test swimming holes, waterways

Thursday

Testing of local streams and waterways won’t be conducted this summer unless the Newton County Health Department can come up with funding.

Testing of local streams and waterways won’t be conducted this summer unless the Newton County Health Department can come up with funding.

Bob Kulp, director, said he decided last fall to eliminate the testing of local swimming holes and other area waterways for E. coli and other bacteria due to budget constraints.

“Money is tight and we had to balance the budget,” Kulp said. “So we had to make cuts.”

Last summer, the health department spent $15,000 on sampling and testing water from area streams, using its own environmental health specialists to conduct the weekly testing. The department relied on Stream Team volunteers in 2006 to conduct the testing, and began testing local streams in 2005 on a limited basis.

E. coli is a bacterium that is commonly found in the lower intestine of warm-blooded animals. Most E. coli strains are harmless, but some can cause serious food poisoning in humans, and are occasionally responsible for costly product recalls.

Kulp said the department will try other avenues of finding funding for the project including the possibility of grant funding.

“If a federal grant comes, we will get back into it,” he said. “We’re looking at keeping this, provided we can get some funding.”

Funding may also come from state sources or from private foundations, Kulp said.

“Hopefully, we can work with our area watershed groups,” he said. “That’s one thing our group, the Shoal Creek Watershed group, has been discussing. Hopefully, they can figure out other money sources that are out there.

“As of right now, we’re not doing anything this year. And I hate that, because I wanted to expand the program.”

Kulp said the local group has been discussing picking an impaired stream for a project, then obtaining grant funding to make that possible.

Kulp added he wanted to begin testing springs in the county that lead to some of the smaller tributaries of area creeks.

“I have a real interest in springs, because all creeks come from springs,” he said. “The tributaries are having problems, and I suggest that it’s coming from the springs themselves.”

Kulp said he had planned on talking with local landowners to allow the department to test springs on their land.

“But it will take time and money to pinpoint those potential sources,” he said.

Sampling by the department led to putting four county streams — Hickory, Capps, Lost and Upper Indian creeks — on the state’s list of impaired streams for E. coli. And last year, the health department put out advisories when bacteria levels in area streams exceeded state and federal mandates. These advisories will end as well, Kulp said.

“People should keep in mind that there are times when the creeks are not safe to be in, especially after a heavy rainfall,” he said. “Last year, we did find that the main part of Shoal Creek did better. But at times, lots of creeks are high, and people need to take precautions.”

In November 2006, Newton County voters turned down a 7 cent property tax levy increase to fund water sampling and testing in the county. Kulp said Thursday the department wasn’t considering bringing another tax issue on the ballot in the near future because of tough economic times.

“We need to get grass roots support,” he said. “And we need better education of the public and elected officials as to what we do. Several legislators are proposing to freeze property taxes. I don’t think they have any idea what that would do for an agency such as us.”

The county health department receives slightly more than a quarter of its funding from property taxes, Kulp said, but it was still a major component of their budget.

Kulp said the department has taken other belt tightening measures as well, including decreases in its health plan and rebidding projects in order to save money.

Neosho Daily News

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